Sunday, August 23, 2009

I Love crafting! How can I do it for less?

I Love crafting! How can I do it for less?
(picture is a scan of fabric from my stash bin)

#1. Rethink what you have. Approach with the glass is half full attitude.

#2. Swap supplies with friends. Beg, borrow and steal - ok don't steal. Chances are your friends have a tool you need to use and vice a versa. Are you overloaded on pink ribbon and you really need chipbaord letters? Ask around on craft or art forums, message boards, twitter, facebook or myspace for anyone who might be interested in a swap. If you live near crafty friends host a swap party where everyone can bring items they want to swap.

#3. Co-op purchase large or expensive tools with a creative friend.

#4. Use coupons! Use the coupons from craft stores that are found in the newspaper. If you don't get the paper, ask a neighbor to save them for you. Sign up for a sale flyer via email. The stores will email you when they have a coupon and you print at home. Jo-Ann Fabrics does this.

#5 Learn new stitches. If your yarn stash is low and your budget lower, work on learning new stitches.

#6. Break it and remake it. Reconstruct old or outdated jewelry into new pieces by breaking them apart and restringing.

#7. Use textile medium to create your won fabric paints. You can turn an entire rack of acrylic paint or 1/2 a bottle of acrylic paint into fabric paint by just adding a little textile medium to the mix.

#8. Re-cycle, re-purpose.....re-create. Remake something around your house or closet. A fresh coat of paint, a little Mod Podge or the addition a ribbon trim are quick and easy ways to creatively update items you already have.

#9. Finish a project that you have started. Before you begin something new...finish what you started.

#10. Make it small, work on smaller projects. Yes, it can be as easy as that...use scraps of fabric to create smaller sewing projects, make flowers and trims with scrap yarn, work on earrings and pendants instead of that necklace that requires 17 large beads.

4 comments:

  1. Awesome suggestions!!! Some I already know/do, but some new ones I might just give a try!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm a big crafter for nothing. One of the main reasons I love crafting is that you can do it for less than you can buy. I keep everything. You never know when a piece of ribbon or button will come in handy. Dollar stores, garage sales and thirft shops can have great supplies.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Just saw you on Youtube showing how to make polymer clay beads and wow, that was so cool to watch! Am in the process to look at making a range of beads for a photo collage project that I will be making soon to mark the end of my little girl's cancer treatment and I want to incorporate beads in my photo collage as she has been collecting beads through the beads of courage programme and I don't want to use her original set, so will need to look at making my own as I can get it in the size that I need and it will likely cost less than buying pre-made beads. So thank you for what you shared, it was great to watch!!!

    Lea White
    http://whitesinnz.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is amazing. I just retweeted!!

    ReplyDelete

I love comments and questions. Sometimes it takes me a few days to reply. Have a wonderful day!

Cathie

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